These cool-season annuals also make excellent cut flowers.
aimintang / Getty Images
Snapdragons (Antirrhinummajus) arecool-season annualflowering plants known as hardy annuals.
They prefercool temperatures to flower, such as early spring or mild winter.
Credit:aimintang / Getty Images
Snapdragons get their name because the flowers' florets resemble a dragon’s snout.
Children enjoy squeezing the florets to separate the top from the bottom, like opening the dragon’s jaw.
Easy to grow from seed, snapdragons proliferate extensively.
They grow quickly and reach their mature size in just a few weeks.
Cultivars have traditional “snap” flowers, open-faced, or double flowers in all colors except for blue.
They make excellentcut flowers, and many cultivars have a pleasant fragrance.
They are flowering annuals grown outdoors in the garden in full sun.
These are cool-season annuals.
In the Upper and Middle South, they will bloom in the spring and stop blooming in the summer.
However, they could bloom again in the fall if kept watered in the summer.
Bumblebees pollinate snapdragon flowers, and theyattract hummingbirds.
The individual florets are edible (used as a garnish).
Light
Snapdragons needfull sunto bloom, at least six hours a day.
Soil
Snapdragons require moist but well-drained soil high in organic matter.
Water
These plants need water to germinate and to get started.
Still, as established plants, they will need slightly moist soilabout 1 inch of water per week.
To prevent fungal disease, water at the plant base in the morning.
They can tolerate a light frost and need average humidity.
Types Of Snapdragons
There are many types of snapdragon cultivars.
The following varieties illustrate the wide variety of floral shapes and colors.
The traditional “snap” or “dragon’s snout” is mouth-shaped florets.
Other “butterfly” flowers are more open, with double-petal florets and ruffled petals called azalea punch in.
This pruning is optional.
Deadheading faded blooms encourages more flower production throughout the growing season.
Pruning may also be necessary for leggy stems.
Cut the plant back further along the stem to create more compact, bushy growth.
When pruning, make cuts at a 45 degree angle.
Cut the stem at the base, near the ground.
Strip the lower leaves.
Cut snapdragons can last several weeks.
Propagating Snapdragons
Snapdragons propagate quickly from cuttings and root division.
Take the cutting in the summeraround six weeks before the first frost.
Check your local area for expected frost dates.
One can obtain a wider variety if one grows from seed.
The plants will bloom in the spring and early summer.
The winters are mild enough for the plants to grow and bloom in winter and spring.
Taller varieties are not well-suited for growing in pots.
Plant them in pots from early spring to early summer or fall.
They wont thrive in the heat of summer.
To plant, choose a pot that is larger than the plants and has drainage holes.
Spread alayer of mulcharound the top of the container.
Place the container in full sun and water regularly.
For snapdragons grown as perennials in warmer climates, repot when the roots become crowded and root-bound.
Yellowing leaves, stunted growth, and not absorbing water can mean it’s time for a new pot.
Choose a pot that’s 2 inches larger than the current pot.
When done flowering for the season, cut them at the ground level and remove them.
Diseases
Snapdragons are prone to rust, specifically snapdragon rust.
Unfortunately,Pucciniaprefers the same cool temperatures as snapdragons.
Pests
Spider mites or aphids may attack snapdragons.
Aphids also excrete a sticky substance called honeydew, which attracts sooty mold and can transmit viruses.
To control aphids, spray with insecticidal soap.
Spider mites are tiny spider-like mites that also suck nutrients from the foliage.
It is easier to see their webs under the leaves.
They weaken the plant and create specks on the leaves or cause the foliage to be a lighter yellow.
To control spider mites, spray with insecticidal soap.
Deadhead snapdragons to encourage a long blooming period.
If allowed to go to seed, the plant will stop blooming.
However, if allowed to set seed, some seeds may germinate next year.
Just remember that if the plant was a hybrid, it might not come back true to form.
They don’t tolerate drought well and wilt in the heat.
If they are not blooming or if they begin to brown, here’s what to know.
Snapdragons need at least six hours of sun to bloom.
Leaves Turning Yellow
Yellow leaves can indicate fungal diseases, overwatering, or lack of nutrients.
If older leaves are yellowing, the cause is likely lack of nutrients.
Use a balanced fertilizer to improve conditions.
Yellow spots on the upper leaf surface can indicate fungal disease.
Remove infected leaves and treat the plant with fungicide.
If the plant has yellow leaves and stunted growth, it may not be getting adequate light.
Wilting Leaves
Wilting leaves are often a sign of watering issues.
Underwatering can cause leaves to droop and wilt.
Water snapdragons when the top inch or two of soil is dry.
Overwatered snapdragons may have wilted and yellowing leaves.
Water the plant less frequently and allow the soil to dry between waterings.
These plants may draw pests that can harm snapdragons or compete with snapdragons for nutrients.
Snapdragons seed readily, keeping a continuous supply of new flowers.
They alsocross-pollinateeasily so new flowers may not look like the parent flowers.
To keep them from spreading, deadhead any spent flowers before they go to seed.
